My name is Jeff Walker, and I am the Director of Goaltending Development for Stop It Goaltending's Springfield location. I'm glad to be a part of the new Mass/Conn United Training Facility in Agawam, MA.

I am writing today to inform you of an incredible new program that we are running at the Mass/Conn United Training Center next year: The Bridge Program. This program is designed for elite 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grade goaltenders who are willing to work hard to achieve their goals in the sport of hockey.

The Bridge Program consist of a full school year of studies and athletic training all held at Mass/Conn United Training Center in Agawam, MA. Combined training over an entire school year will produce remarkable gains in skill, technique, reaction speed, physical and mental growth and self-confidence. The Bridge Program is designed for goalies to study and train intensively for one school year to prepare them to move onto a traditional brick and mortar school with an elite hockey program. The on-ice results are remarkable as demonstrated in thisvideo progress report. The maturation of students participating in online learning is a tremendous life experience as well as the daily primers and life lessons taught at the Bridge. Student-athletes still play for their AAA teams as they would if they attended a traditional brick and mortar school.

Student athletes participating in the Bridge program enroll with Connections Academy, an accredited online school that gives students the flexibility to learn and prepares them to excel in school and in life with an award-winning curriculum, direct parent involvement and caring teachers and personalized instruction. Bridge participants will complete classwork and train at Mass/Conn United Training Center Monday through Friday throughout the school year.

Registering for the Bridge Program is a four step process.

The first step to registering for the Bridge Program is to contact Jeff Walker at 413-433-0710. The call will consist of a description of the Bridge Program and an initial discussion of the academic and athletic goals of the potential participant. Please complete theBridge applicant information form before the phone meeting.

The phone meeting will be followed by a in person meeting with both the parents and goalie together.

The third step to the process will be a shadow day and on ice training session to see if there is good coach/student synergy on the ice.

The final stage of the registration process is acceptance into the program and a commitment in the form of a 10% deposit.

Thank you for your consideration of the Bridge Program.

“In developing goaltenders for 21 years the Bridge Program is by far the best development program I have ever had the opportunity to be involved in.” - Brian Daccord